Thread 23 Covid Cohort Stepping Into Christmas, Tests, Mocks & Interviews

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting. It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, please don't within this thread. Please also be sensitive when responding to threads about grades.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue.

Our DS/DD may go down various paths (such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will most likely find us within the Further Ed board.

Previous thread

@20newnames/ DS / Engineering
@Alsoplayspiccolo/ DD / English + Film
@AnneofCleavage/ DD / gap year? Primary Education
@BlueMarigold/ DD / Biology
@cariadambyth/ DD / History / Southampton, Bath Spa, Warwick, RHUL
@collywobble/ DS / PPE, Economics / Lancaster (AAB)
@crazycrofter/ DD / Child (?) + Mental Health Nursing
@Decorhate/ DS / Economics + Politics
@Delphigirl/ DS / Oceanography
@DoggerelBank/ DS / tbc sciencey
@ealingwestmum/ DD / Middle Eastern and European Studies
@EerilyDisembodied/ DS / History or Environmental Management
@estherfrewen/ DS / History / Birmingham (ABB), Cardiff (ABB-BBB), Warwick (AAB)
@EwwSprouts/ DS / Biology
@Fiddlersgreen/ DS / Journalism / Bournemouth (104 pts), Brighton (BCC), Cardiff (ABB)
@Fruitygal/ DD / Biology
@Hattifatteners/ DD / Vet Med
@Heifer/ DD / Biology
@Hopeful201/ DS / Medicine
@Horace123/ DS / Classics / Edinburgh 34/665
@icanbewhatiwant/ DS / History + Philosophy
@Isthisjustnormal/ DS / Comp Sci
@JustHereWithMyPopcorn/ DS / Law
@KingscoteStaff/ DD / Medicine
@Knickerthief1/ DD / Child nursing / York
@Monkey2001/ DS / Medicine
@mummabear74/ DD / Environmental Science
@mummyinbeds/ DS / Law + French Law / Birmingham (AAA), Kent (AAB)
@Nard75/ DS / Maths
@NCTDN/ DD / Liberal Arts
@Oblomov21/ DS / Accountancy / Southampton ABB
@OrangeCinnamonCocktail/ DD / Music (uni)
@PaddingtonPaddington/ DD / Music (cons)
@Piggywaspushed/ DS / Social sciences / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), York (AAB-ABB)
@ProggyMat/ DD / Classics / Bristol (BBB), Edinburgh
@SandyBayley/ DD / Medicine
@Seeline/ DD / Liberal Arts / UEA (AAB), Kent (BBB), Nottingham (AAA)
@Shimy/ DS / Business + Management / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), Loughborough
@singingstones/ DS / Neuroscience
@Volterra/ DS / Maths
@whatsnext2/ DD / English joint hons
@Wheresthebeach/ DD / gap year? Marine Biology / Southampton, Portsmouth
@whoamitojudge/ DD / RyanAir cabin crew training
@Zebracat/ DD / Liberal Arts or Anthropology
@ZittiEBuoni/ DD / tbc applying next year

Still haven’t sent off the forms but noticed when we were double checking Warwick that earlier it said Psychology counted as a second science for Biology but now it doesn’t. This doesn’t affect us but is it possible that other unis could do this?

Good luck @JustHereWithMyPopcorn

@BlueMarigold - are you off to Lancaster this weekend?

@estherfrewen Yes we are!

@BlueMarigold - hope it's a good visit. Definitely going to be DS insurance with Warwick first. Did you do the access programme webinar last week? Am hoping that was DS first credits towards lower offer!

@BlueMarigold

Still haven’t sent off the forms but noticed when we were double checking Warwick that earlier it said Psychology counted as a second science for Biology but now it doesn’t. This doesn’t affect us but is it possible that other unis could do this?

Some unis definitely changed their criteria when they added 2022 in which was quite late (August was the latest I've noticed). Also grades went up too. Thankfully none of the unis DD will be applying to have removed Psychology.. (just off to triple check now)....

@crazycrofter and @Wheresthebeach - after yesterday's panic I had a very reassuring response from DS's subject teacher so I have calmed down again.

Crazy - I agree with the history coursework being good practice - DS did his over the summer and the first half of this term, they were spoonfed it a bit in that they were given a selection of books to work from but it was great to see a properly referenced long essay emerging from DS's laptop, I proofread it and learned quite a lot from it, it was good.

@Monkey2001 aargh about the licence/passport photo shenanigans, what a nightmare.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn - sending good luck vibes

@DoggerelBank - phew for the EPQ

Nearly everything at Warwick has gone up by one grade, thankfully we spotted it back in September before DS submitted his form. For some universities, it is there GCSE requirements that changed e.g Birmingham.

Lancaster offered grade reduction for making it first choice but not for EPQ - despite the website and one of the key staff saying they would be offering grade reduction on the open day. DD very put off as a result as wanted it as her insurance choice so if Durham offers then she will now choose York or Sheffield as 2nd choice. I’m encouraging her to ask about the EPQ in a email to the department just in case it’s been overlooked. She’s not keen but but currently it will be out of the running if Durham offer. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Good luck @JustHereWithMyPopcorn DS.

Re EPQ and skills for degree/real work I agree with all the comments and think we need to try to explain to DS why planning and reflection is so important in real life, not because it is marked but because if you don't do it the piece of work you are producing will be weaker.

@estherfrewen All the weeks are merging into one but yes she did do something last week which was worth 10 credits.

@Fruitygal - that’s annoying about Lancaster. It seems hard this year.

@BlueMarigold It’s a rather an odd thing to do but as York which she currently prefers offers the same grades but without cavets on whether she puts it first or second makes it a much better option.

@Fruitygal that makes sense. Specially if she prefers York.

Oh my God just seen about an attempted murder at Warwick Uni campus on the BBC . How utterly dreadful

Blimey, just seen the Warwick thing too

What happened?

19 year old man found with serious injuries on campus and 18 year old man and 18 year old woman arrested

Nothing to do with Warwick though, could have happened anywhere. Looks like a girl's ex boyfriend attacked new interest, but 2 people have been arrested, which is odd.

Just reading about the Warwick incident here. Gosh! only been out to the shops and there's been an attempted murder. Was this on the campus?

Yes, agreed it could have happened anywhere and I just said the same to DS earlier. A bit shocking though when it's at one of the places in your top 3, I guess just makes it seem more real.

How awful. I’ve managed to find the news report now.

Just read the awful news report. Can't believe this would happen not just on campus but inside halls!! absolutely shocking. Thank good ness the victim is still alive.

@Monkey2001

Nothing to do with Warwick though, could have happened anywhere. Looks like a girl's ex boyfriend attacked new interest, but 2 people have been arrested, which is odd.

I think what's more shocking is that this has happened at all on Campus. You expect it to be some kind of haven away from this type of brutal violence. One just doesn't expect stabbings in halls.

Not good about Warwick - most campuses do have security around to challenge non- students who are found there.

@Fruitygal the article I read said the ex boyfriend was visiting and was in the bathroom when the new one arrived. I expect things like this happen in all walls of life and the university have responded very well by evacuating all students and providing alternative accommodation. I feel sorry for the flatmates, what a horrible thing to happen in your home - nothing to do with you, but big impact on you.

That's dreadful.

Security was so lax at York in my day - we had people from the local institution come wandering through looking for food at night, trying doorhandles and sleeping in bathtubs. But I would like to think security was very beefed up since those days. I am guessing if one of the parties was known to the other they may have let him/her in.